STP-Paxton Turbocar "The STP colors look amazing on all of Andy Granatelli's Indy 500 cars, so I could have put any of them on this list, but I chose this 'almost Indy 500 winner' because I think the innovation behind this car is just so incredible."

ABOVE There's no other word for it - sensational. Ken Wallis' creation emerged from a workshop in Santa Monica, Calif., exploited the engine loop-holes in the USAC rules at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and then also threw all-wheel-drive into the mix. A.J. Foyt didn't like it, neither did Mario Andretti, but then they were fighting against it…. Parnelli Jones loved it, right up until lap 196 of the ’67 Indy 500.IMS photo

McLaren MP4-23 "I had the opportunity to drive this car in 2009. It was the final year that all the fins and extra aero pieces were allowed, and McLaren delivered a beautiful car, winning the Formula 1 World Championship with Lewis Hamilton."

BELOW What Stefan modestly omits to mention is that his chance to drive this car came as a reward for winning the 2007 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award. The MP4-23 came out second best to Ferrari's F2008 in the 2008 F1 Constructors' Championship, but most people remember this car for Hamilton's final lap of the final race of the season…LAT photo

Porsche 917 "I'm a big fan of Steve McQueen and the film Le Mans and I think the Porsche 917 in the Gulf livery is such an iconic car."

BMW M3 E30 Simply watch this video and you'll see why I picked this car (http://youtu.be/Gw-AxiVqihM). So distinctly German, right amidst the peak of the DTM series in the late 1980s. There was lots of technology for the era, and from the clips I've seen, the racing looked intense!

BELOW The first iteration of the BMW M3 is, for many people, the most outstanding touring car of the ’80s and early ’90s. In a five-year span, the E30 won one world title, two European titles and nine national championships in Germany, Italy, Britain and Australia. Pictured is Joachim Winkelhock in the Schnitzer-run M3 at Hockenheim in 1991. LAT photo

Williams-Renault FW14B "I love the look of the 1990s F1 cars and this as good as they come! The Adrian Newey-designed machine took Nigel Mansell to his World Championship in '92. The FW14 and 14B won 17 of the 32 races they were entered into between 1991 and ’92."

BELOW The Williams FW14 had been the fastest car of 1991, but early-season reliability issues had allowed Senna's McLaren-Honda to take four straight wins in the opening races, building enough of a cushion to hold off Mansell for the championship. The FW14B, complete with active suspension and solid reliability, matched and raised the stakes, Mansell winning the first five races of 1992. He finished the year with nine victories, 14 poles, the World Championship – and a contract with Newman/Haas Racing for ’93.LAT photo